India and Tanzania discuss closer defence cooperation
Upgrading their relationship to the level of a ‘Strategic Partnership’, India and Tanzania on Monday (October 9, 2023) decided to increase cooperation in maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.
 
According to the Joint Statement issued after bilateral talks between Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, "both leaders looked forward to increased interoperability between their Armed Forces". 
 
They expressed satisfaction over the first India-Tanzania Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance exercise conducted in July 2023 when the Indian Naval Ship Trishul visited Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. They also noted that India and Tanzania held a bilateral maritime exercise in October 2022 during the visit of the Indian Naval Ship Tarkash, the statement added.
 
They noted the regular port calls by the Indian ships to Tanzanian ports and appreciated the conduct of the maiden trilateral maritime exercise involving India, Tanzania and Mozambique in the Mozambique Channel during the visit of the Indian Naval Ship Tarkash in October 2022, the Joint Statement said.
 
The Tanzanian side appreciated the hydrographic surveys of Tanzanian major ports done by India in recent years. Thus, the two sides agreed to continue cooperation in this area.
 
According to the Joint Statement, President Hassan and Prime Minister Modi commended the signing of the Technical Agreement on sharing White Shipping Information between India and Tanzania.
 
5-YEAR ROADMAP FOR DEFENCE COOPERATION 
 
Monday's discussions between President Hassan and Prime Minister Modi also focused on closer defence cooperation. 
 
According to the Joint Statement:
 
The leaders expressed satisfaction over the successful 2nd Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting held in Arusha on June 28-29, 2023, resulting in a five-year Roadmap for Defence Cooperation between the two countries.
 
Both sides recalled the successful visits of Defence Ministers of Tanzania to India in August 2022 and February 2023, during which both sides agreed to expand scope of defence cooperation. The Tanzanian side appreciated the deployment of the Indian Military Training Team (IMTT) at the Command and Staff College in Duluti, Tanzania.
 
Considering the successful hosting of the Defence Expos twice in Dar es Salaam on May 31, 2022 and October 2, 2023 which saw participation of several Indian defence companies; both sides expressed interests in expanding cooperation in the area of defence industry. 
 
The two leaders also expressed pleasure at the progress of cooperation between the two sides towards the capacity building of the Tanzanian forces as well as industry.